You may approach not inviting children to your wedding in many ways.Â Remember, for some families, they may not be satisfied with your choice, feel their kids are a â€śpackage deal,â€ť and may plan to disregard your request by bringing their children anyway.Â How will you feel if those guests show up with their children at your wedding?

How would you feel if you were invited to a close family memberâ€™s out-of-state wedding, and you have young children, and found out they were not invited?Â Some people are okay with child-free weddings, others arenâ€™t.

Are you planning to have children in your wedding party as flower girls, ring bearers, junior bridesmaids, or junior groomsmen?Â If so, you may already be okay with having children at the wedding ceremony, just not at your cocktail reception, dinner, and dance.Â Make an educated decision by talking to each other, and include your parents to get their feedback on what has been done in your family previously at weddings and other social events.

You may choose to include children of family members only, children of a certain age, or no children at all.Â It is inappropriate per etiquette to write â€śNo Childrenâ€ť on your invitations.Â Instead, communicate your wishes by leaving childrens’ names off the invitations, and write only the parentsâ€™ names on the invitation outer and inner envelope.Â Make sure you do not address the invitations to â€śand family,â€ť or â€śand guests.â€ťÂ Address your wedding invitation to the specific individual(s) you are asking to share your wedding with you, (i.e., Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Anderson).Â You may not want your cousinâ€™s boyfriend of the week invited.

Wishful thinking is that the parents will read and understand by you addressing the envelope to Mr. and Mrs. Steven Horn this implies their kids arenâ€™t invited…great idea and tip above, yet some parents may discard the envelope(s), and â€śassumeâ€ť their entire family is invited. Â The last thing you want is to not mention this on your save-the-date, or the wedding website, and the parents â€śassumeâ€ť the kids areinvited and are excited for a family get-away, to receive your invitation 6 – 7 weeks prior to the wedding date to find out their children are not invited.

You may want to tell certain relatives or friends about your plans for not inviting children.Â As a courtesy, you may hire an experienced licensed and insured childcare provider during the hours of the wedding to watch the children of the out-of-town guests at a nearby hotel, or allow the guests to pay, provide and select childcare options from a list provided by you on your wedding website.Â Nanny or childcare provider services are available to come to you at a location, and most have been fingerprinted, and have background checks for their employees.Â Make sure you check their references, and the Better Business Bureau, and get recommendations and referrals from your wedding planner, catering manager, and hotel sales manager.

If you have predominantly locally guests attending, it will be easier for them to arrange reliable childcare.Â For a new mother traveling with newborn, and nursing, it will be difficult for her to find reliable childcare in an unknown area, and she may need to be close in case the newborn isnâ€™t taking a bottle from a stranger yet.Â This may be the first time they have flown or traveled together with their newborn.Â If you have toddlers, they may be clingy and resistant to going with someone they donâ€™t know, especially in the evening, and the parents will be nervous throughout the evening.Â In that instance, would recommend to arrange for childcare nearby at their hotel. Â This would be close by, and in case they want to check-in during the evening, it would be easy and comfortable for all involved.

Define your version of â€śchild-free.â€ťÂ Will this be for your wedding cocktail reception, dinner, and dance only, where you are fine with children attending your rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony, and the brunch the day after your wedding, or will you have an entire adult only wedding weekend?Â You may already have in your mind the set of parents which are going to be upset with you, right?

Advance communication as clear and kindly as possible with specific wedding details like this needs to be included with your save-the-dates and on your wedding website.Â Save-the-dates with your wedding website address should be mailed out as soon as possible.Â You could provide a list of trusted childcare providers for the parents to reach out and interview, and this would be a way (depending on how many children would be traveling) for the children to be all together.Â You may want to provide a room at your out-of-town guest hotel where the children have Netflix movies which are age related and kid activities in the hotel room so the children have an incredible time, are fed, are supervised, may go to sleep comfortably, and the parents enjoy their evening knowing their children are in good hands too, as a win-win.

If you are having only a few couples which have families, it may be easiest to e-mail, text, or call them to let them know you want them to come for a â€śdate nightâ€ť at your wedding, and if they need help arranging childcare for â€śTommy and Annaâ€ť, you have a list of reliable childcare providers referred to you which are insured and licensed on your wedding website to check out since it is an adult reception only wedding.

On your RSVP card, as well as your wedding website here are some ideas to consider:

We would love for your children to attend the wedding ceremony, however, the reception will be an adult affair. We would love to help you arrange for childcare please see our wedding website www.MattandCindi8.8.2018 for details.

________ children RSVPs for childcare with age(s) being ______________

On your RSVP card, you may want to put a #1, or #2 for the maximum quantity of RSVPs.Â This gets difficult if you invite many single guests, since this may allow them to invite their â€ś+1,â€ť although you arenâ€™t interested in inviting their â€ś+1.â€ť

Do you have a gap between your wedding ceremony and reception?Â If you do, it is normally due to the wedding ceremony start time at your church of choice, and may be up to two or three hours.Â If not, PLEASE read this e-mail below, which my change your mind, and please put yourself in the position of the writer (the guest).Â Always try to have my brides, grooms and parents of the couple to understand this.Â Being a role model to many, always try to live by the golden rule, especially when all of your family and friends are affected.

Received this email:

Q:Â â€śKnow you know everything wedding, and thought I would e-mail you before questioning the bride.Â Just received her wedding invitation in the mail, and there is a 5.5 hour gap between their ceremony and reception. Is this typical?Â Excited to be invited, and donâ€™t want to seem ungrateful, yet need your expert on how to RSVP. From our house, the ceremony is a 30 minute drive, and the reception is a 45 minute drive, which makes going back and forth difficult. My husband and I discussed attending the reception and skipping the ceremony, but don’t want to be rude. Just looking for what’s “normal” here.Â There are no planned activities for the guests and family members, just for their wedding party since they are having all their photos and activities between the ceremony and the reception.Â Feeling bad for guests which have a longer commute than we do.Â What do you suggest?

A:Â With the start time of the ceremony, assuming the bride and her wedding party will be having their hair and make-up appointments prior to the start of the wedding.Â In order for them to get some sleep, the bride has opted to have their photos after their ceremony instead of prior to their wedding ceremony.Â Knowing sunset and sunrise are the two best times for outdoor lighting, you may want to check with the bride/groom to see where their photos will take place.

Depending on who you know best, you may want to reach out to the bride (appears you know her best, right?) and see if she is having many out-of-town-guests.Â If so, many of the guests are in a worse situation than you are!

Your RSVPs are in (finally), and youâ€™re three weeks from your wedding day!Â As your wedding planner, this is the time to have all your details wrapped up.Â Relax and enjoy quality time with your family and friends prior to your wedding day!

One of the questions I get asked as things wind down is, â€śWho and how much should I tip?â€ťÂ With all the details, many seem to overlook the important task (and etiquette) of tipping.

Below is my go-to guide on tipping, so you show your wedding vendors, who put your wedding together, your appreciation for making your wedding day amazing.Â Tipping isnâ€™t required, unless a service charge is spelled out in your contract.Â Tipping is a voluntary and customary expression of appreciation for exceptional service.

The golden rule is to check your vendor list to make sure you donâ€™t forget someone.

Tipping Guidelines

1). Use the guidelines below, and write a check or place cash into an envelope with their name on the outside of the envelope.Â Always carry additional cash and bring your check book for possibility of overtime charges or other incidentals.

2). Personalize a thank-you note to the vendors with a few details on how they helped you throughout the planning process.

What is a Wedding Dress Trunk Show?Â It is a traveling collection of wedding dresses highlighting one particular wedding gown designer.Â These exclusive wedding dresses travel from one bridal boutique to the next, normally staying at one location or area for a very limited time.Â Gowns from their newest collection will be on display, and you may even get the chance to meet the designer in person!

Why should you attend a Wedding Dress Trunk Show?

1).Â Preview wedding dresses from the designer BEFORE they are released to the public!Â Â See, feel, and try on the latest wedding trends before they hit websites or are available to try on in stores (except for an exclusive trunk show).

2).Â Find a one-of-a-kind wedding dress.Â Wedding dress trunk shows offer brides one-of-a-kind dresses to stand out and be different which may be in your region or market for 1-3 days only.

3).Â Extras and Promotions included with your designer wedding gown purchase for a limited time only.Â With the Wedding Dress Trunk show, there will normally be promotions and extras which you may receive when you purchase during the trunk show.Â Bridal boutiques may offer a discount for the gown, or offer a few extras such as a fabric change, extra buttons, additional fabric, veil, shoes, or other â€śperksâ€ť which are not offered in the bridal boutique on a day-to-day basis.

4).Â You may get a chance to talk to the Wedding Dress Designer!Â Designers are sometimes on site for wedding dress trunk shows.Â Find out if you may make an appointment when you purchase your gown to meet the designer as an added bonus.

What should you do or know before attending a Wedding Dress Trunk Show?

1).Â Do your homework to know what you love in a wedding gown.Â Ask your bridal boutique associate to show you wedding gowns from the collection which fit your body type, match your style, and are within your budget.Â You may have to increase your budget for the â€śgownâ€ť you want, and decrease a budget item elsewhere to get â€śthe dress!â€ť

2).Â Call early to make an appointment with the bridal boutique so you reserve a time and day which works for your schedule.Â With the dress collections being in town a limited time (normally 1 â€“ 3 days), available appointment times are booked quickly.Â Your time is valuable, and the last thing you want to do is wait in line as a â€śwalk-inâ€ť!

3).Â Wedding Dress Trunk Shows do not feature clearance or discounted gowns.Â With limited time in your area, and the high demand for the designer gowns, you will need to purchase your gown in a short period of time.

Thanks to JanDekkerDesigns.com for the gorgeous photo!Â Few vendors ROCK my world like Jan, plus her b’day is one day before mine, go figure, right!

http://www.JanDekkerDesigns.com

You found the man/woman of your dreams, your soul mate, right, congrats!Â You said â€śYESâ€ť, youâ€™re engaged, and since many items do come in â€śthrees,â€ť or â€śmultiples of threes,â€ťâ€“ such as graduating from college, moving into a new home, switching jobs, finding a new job, buying a new car, and then you just added the â€śwedding to do listâ€ť which is a mile long, you are BUSY!Â You thought finding time to do things was tough before, well, it doesnâ€™t get any better!

As an experienced wedding planner, at the end of the day, in my opinion (which you will hear TONS of opinions), this is truly what mattersâ€¦having an incredible wedding of your dreams is important, yet more important is the quality of the rest of your life together as husband and wife.

The golden rule is important.Â You have heard of bridezilla, groomzilla, and momzilla, so please donâ€™t let the stress of planning your wedding turn you, or someone you love into one!Â Reach out to those in your close circle of family and friends in a kind way.Â You may disagree, tempers may flare, yet pick your battles, since relationships and friendships may end over minor issues which may have been solved easily and quickly.

Here are a few MUST DO tips before you walk down the aisle and say â€śI do.â€ť

1).Â Happily ever after happens in fairy tales.Â Pre-wedding anxiety is normal.Â Confront your fears, stress, or concerns about your marriage head on.Â Be open with your fiance and your inner circle of family and friends.

3).Â Discuss a prenup, checking accounts, credit cards, savings, and joining finances.Â If you havenâ€™t already discussed this, it is important.Â You may want accounts to stay at â€śyour bank,â€ť while he wants accounts to stay at â€śhis bankâ€ť.Â Â Once checks and bills start coming in, you donâ€™t want confusion about whose account they should go into or out of.Â Are you going to stay with â€śyourâ€ť bank, switch to â€śhisâ€ť bank, or go to a different bank altogether?Â Finances are normally one of the top items of disagreements in relationships.

4). Â Discuss plans to have children or not have children.Â Many breakdowns in marriages occur when someone â€śthoughtâ€ť or â€śassumedâ€ť their spouse wanted and expected something, then when they brought it up, said they were â€śblind sidedâ€ť and didnâ€™t see â€śthatâ€ť coming.Â If you are planning to have children, when, and how many?Â If you are not planning on having children, best to talk about it now.Â If you do have children, how are you going to raise them if you are Catholic and he is Jewish?

5).Â Plan â€śmeâ€ť time.Â Schedule something which helps you relax, and something you like to do for you.Â May be working out, hiking, playing sports, purging your closet, something for you!

6).Â Bond and have heart-to-heart moments with your family and BFFs.Â Once you are married you will have less free time with your parents and friends.Â Plan something you have always wanted to do with them, yet havenâ€™t done â€śyetâ€ť together, something on your/their â€śbucketâ€ť list.

7).Â Talk about â€śWhen weâ€™re marriedâ€¦â€ťÂ Here is a way to get the creative minds thinking (LOVE using this in your wedding ceremony wording too):Â You have known each other for ____ years, through the first glance of acquaintance to this moment of commitment.Â At some moment you decided to marry.Â From that moment of yes, until this moment of Yes (your wedding vows), indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way.Â All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or on long walks â€“ all those sentences that began with â€śWhen weâ€™re marriedâ€ť and continued with â€śI will, and you will, and we will,â€ť â€“ those late night talks that included â€śsomedayâ€ť and â€śsomehowâ€ť and â€śmaybeâ€ť â€“ and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart.Â All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding.

9).Â If you donâ€™t like something, work at making a change in yourself to change the way you accept or donâ€™t accept â€śitâ€ť in your life.Â The definition of insanity by Albert Einstein is â€śDoing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different results.â€ť

Plan ahead, and consider the logistics of your get ready location.Â Plan ahead for your get ready room and get ready photography.Â You may want to get ready at your parentsâ€™ home, a hotel room, or a wedding venueâ€™s bridal suite.Â The Wright House (photo to the left) has a gorgeous get ready room fully equipped with natural lighting, space, seating, and an adjoining bathroom.Â Weigh the pros and cons of each location.Â You will need to factor in time for transportation to get everyone to your ceremony site (unless it is at the same property).Â Â If you are having your ceremony and reception at a hotel, most hotels will provide a get ready room in your agreement, yet may not be able to get you an early check-in (depending on occupancy levels).Â You will be less stressed if you pay extra to check into your room the night before your wedding, so everything is easier for your wedding day.

Lighting, timing, space, and minimal clutter is important. Â Your â€śget readyâ€ť photos will be taken in your get ready room.Â Discuss with your photographer natural lighting and start times so you know to be ready to start photos.Â Work with your photographer on lighting since they will LOVE lots of natural lighting with large windows vs. being in a dim light room with no or minimal windows, or florescent lighting.Â If you are getting ready in a hotel room, ask your hotel representative if there is an upgrade price (less the room you get included in your plan) so you may pay for a more picturesque room for get ready photos with large windows.Â Think about the number of people you will be having in your room too.Â Space is important, and think about how many you donâ€™t want clutter of everyoneâ€™s bags in the photos.

Focus on a realistic plans for photography, hair and makeup schedules.Â Your wedding planner will need to back out additional time for hair and makeup schedules.Â Most people will need to be finished with hair and makeup when the photographer starts with the bride getting into her gown.Â Most will not want to have photos without their hair done, or without their makeup finished.Â Depending on how many faces you have for makeup (average 45 min. per face, and 1 hr. for the bride) and how many heads you have for your hairstylists (average 45 min. â€“ 1 hr. per head, then 1 -1.5 hours for bride), plan on starting early and having touch-ups as needed.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â If you are at a hotel, find out how many other weddings and/or brides will be on site at the same time.Â Find out what locations are the hotels favorite photography locations, when they will be in shade, and when they will be available for photography for you.

Phoenix, Arizona, known as the Valley of the Sun, has some of the best weather in the United States year round!Â The daily high temperatures from October to April generally remain in the ideal range of 65Â°F to 85Â°F.Â Phoenix normally has 296 days of sunshine a year.Â Â Â In the summer, when the weather is hotter, because we have low humidity, Â since it is a â€śdry heat,â€ť even at 100Â°F, it doesnâ€™t feel as hot since other parts of the country with higher humidity.

Phoenix Average Monthly Temperatures

Month

Average High

Average Low

January

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 67

46

February

71

49

March

77

54

April

85

60

May

95

69

June

104

78

July

106

83

August

104

83

September

100

77

October

89

65

November

76

53

December

66

45

Few settings are as gorgeous as the views in Arizona of Camelback Mountain, South Mountain, Desert Botanical Gardens, Sedona, the Grand Canyon, plus there are many more!

The Wright House (gorgeous photo above, right) has both indoor and outdoor capability with an English Garden or a Country French Inn, call 480.833.0902 today to schedule a tour!Â Check them out at http://www.TheWrightHouse.com

Create shade.Â Sometimes sunny days in Phoenix may be too much of a good thing.Â Provide shade for guests who prefer to stay out of the sun.Â You may get umbrellas from your venue included, otherwise you may rent some.Â Keep in mind the umbrellas may block views of some of your guests.Â You may want to opt for a canopy to cover the top with elevation for everyone instead.Â Renting a tent would give you coverage on all sides vs. just the top.Â Your photographer will need shade for your wedding photography too.

Hydrate, hydrate, and hydrate!Â Make sure you, your wedding party, and guests stay hydrated, especially if the weather is warm.Â Have your caterer set up a water station with filtered water, ice, and a fruit garnish which would match the color or theme of your wedding (lemons for yellow, orange for tangerine, strawberries for red, etc.).

Have a Plan B which is as good as your Plan A.Â When you choose your outdoor venue, make sure you have a Plan B for inclement weather which is functional.Â Make sure your Plan B option is in writing in your agreement, since when the weather changes, all the events at your outdoor venue of choice will be looking for Plan B.Â Your wedding planner and wedding venue can get up-to-the-minute weather reports and forecasts via apps like those offered at weather.com.Â Make sure you know if you have a right to make a decision on Plan B, (some properties make the decision for you).Â Have in writing in your agreement when you must make the FINAL decision before incurring extra setup costs.

Rent a Tent.Â If your Plan B is the same space, regardless of inclement weather, would recommend reserving a tent.Â These may be used year round, and allow for heating and air-conditioning units to be mounted on the outside.Â This will cover you, your friends, and your family, and will be a wise investment.Â Make sure you put a deposit down and order the tent, since you will need a tent permit.Â Make sure you have a heating/air-conditioning technician on hand several hours before your wedding is scheduled to start.Â If it is too hot, your flowers will not handle this well.Â If it is too cold, the musicians when setting up will not be able to tune.

Determine what type of permits you need.Â You may need city permits (depending on your location) for tents, noise ordinances, parking, fire marshall inspections, and more.

Be Courteous of Your Neighbors.Â If you are having a home wedding, your neighbors may or may not be your BFF.Â They may be planning to host an event the same night as yours.Â Let them know about your festivities, and it may be easier to invite them to attend.Â Make sure no one is mowing their lawn during your ceremony.Â You donâ€™t want someone cutting tile for their remodel during your ceremony either.Â Be aware of when there is trash and recycling pickup so you donâ€™t hear garbage trucks clanking.Â You may want to hire valet parking, or hire a shuttle/bus for round-trip transportation for your guests to park at a local church or school (with permission from the location).

Determine your Insurance Options.Â Make sure you take out special event insurance for the time the vendors and your guests will be on your property (if you are having a home wedding).Â Check with your homeownerâ€™s insurance to see what they will cover, and you may need to get a recommendation from someone who writes Special Event Insurance to get you the coverage you need.

What is inclement weather?Â Typically â€śinclement weatherâ€ť means the weather is going to do, or has done something bad, such as excessive rain, wind, or temperatures.Â Â Try to get a definition of â€śinclement weatherâ€ť from your venue so you have a common terminology.Â Try to get their definition in writing in your agreement.Â As an expert wedding planner, my definition of inclement weather would be:

a).Â temperatures lower than ____

b).Â temperatures higher than ____

c).Â wind higher than _____

d).Â rain estimated at %_____

Why do I need a tent early, instead of waiting until right before the wedding?Â The ground at your wedding may not be level, and you want to make sure your centerpieces and chairs arenâ€™t tipping over.Â Had an October bride many years ago who I recommended to rent a tent for her Plan B, (she was having a home wedding at her parentâ€™s home, which was the size of a mansion, with tennis courts, basketball courts, and guest houses).Â The only flat location for the size of tent she required for her guest count was on their tennis courts.Â The bride did NOT want the tent, saying she didnâ€™t want her dinner/dance on a tennis court.Â Told the bride if it rains on the day of your wedding, no one will care about the tennis courts, they will be happy to be dry!Â The bride cancelled the tent rental 1 month out, and didnâ€™t tell me.Â The rental company called me immediately, and I told them to NOT cancel it, and to hold the tent under my account.Â 10 days before the wedding I emailed the weather forecast to the bride.Â The bride called me in tears, letting me know she made a huge mistake, and she didnâ€™t know what to do.Â She thanked me for the weather update (which said RAIN), and confessed to me she had cancelled the tent.Â Once she received my email on the weather forecast, she had called every rental company and no one has a tent!Â Listened to her story, and then told her I wasnâ€™t worried at all.Â She frantically screamed, â€śHow can you not be worried, my wedding is going to be a disaster.â€ťÂ Then I told her about the rental company calling me, and I already knew about she DID have her tent!Â Another reason why an experienced wedding planner is worth every penny!

Keep your wedding at an acceptable temperature.Â With heating and cooling in a tent, you will be able to maintain an acceptable temperature.Â You may also want to get a mist system, or fans.Â For your outdoor wedding ceremony, you may want to have the servers hand out chilled, scented towels during the event. Â Â Another idea for your wedding ceremony is to have your ceremony program double as a fan for each guest.

Do you need to rent power and lighting?Â What time is sunset on the day of your wedding?Â When and where do you need additional lighting (parking, restrooms, bar, dance floor, guest tables, just to name a few locations)?Â How much power do you need for lighting?Â You will want to make sure your vendors have the power they need to perform/provide their service/product.Â Ask your wedding planner and caterer to get a complete list for your type of event for power needs.Â Make sure you have enough power, or order generators.Â Make sure your guests have lighting (since they may not be familiar with the area) to get comfortably from one place to another at your wedding.Â You will want the DJ and band to make sure they can read their song list.Â You will want lighting at the table so your guests will see what they are eating.

Insects may be an uninvited guest to your wedding.Â Mosquitoes, ants, bees, and flies are a part of nature, yet you donâ€™t need them to be part of your outdoor wedding.Â You may want to use decorative citronella tiki torches or candles (normally available at Lowes.com) to discourage insects.

How many Bathrooms are there, and Are they Clean?Â Nothing ruins an event worse than a not enough bathrooms, or the bathrooms you have being dirty, or out of toilet paper.Â If your venue has restrooms, great, yet if they donâ€™t have something in close proximity, you may want to rent a posh bathroom for your guests.Â Check with local rental companies like ClassicPartyRentals.com for options on flushing toilets, running faucets, soap dispensers, built-in trash receptacles, and indoor/outdoor carpeting.

Sprinklers need to be shut off during setup, during the event, and during strike (take down of your event).Â Imagine the heels of your shoes sinking in the grass, since someone forgot to shut off the sprinklers, and â€śjust wateredâ€ť the grass.Â Make sure the sprinklers are shut off so the lawn is not damp from the start of setup through the end of strike (take down of your event).Â Discuss this with your wedding planner and your wedding venue.

Sunset times and positioning of the sun’s angle.Â For an outdoor wedding ceremony, the last thing you want is the sun in the eyes of your guests.Â Position chairs and the front of your ceremony to be in a functional direction.

Think of how you feel when you travel, there is no place like home, right!Â As a wedding planner for over twenty-five years, learn from experience, Â it IS in those little details which make a difference in taking your wedding from ordinary to extraordinary!

Remember, your out-of-town wedding guests will spend extra money on plane tickets, rental cars, gas, hotel rooms, and other extras in order to travel and celebrate your wedding with you.Â Â It is courteous to show your guests who traveled far how you appreciate their time and effort it took for them to attend your wedding.Â It need not be fancy and expensive, just choose from a variety of options and you can find simple yet special items your guests will love to receive.Â Who doesn’t love a welcome bag!Â Your welcome bag is a nice gesture to make them feel at home.

2).Â Quantity & Budget.Â Â Determine the quantity of welcome bags you need based on your RSVPs.Â Always recommend having RSVPs due at least 30 days prior to your wedding date.Â Get a list of names with check-in dates from the hotels where you have room blocks.Â Knowing how many welcome bags you need will help you decide on the quantity and quality of products you include in them.Â If you have 10 bags vs. 50 bags, your budget for each bag and their contents may vary.

3).Â Delivery.Â How are you planning on delivering the welcome bags to your guests?Â Find out the fee to distribute the welcome bags at the hotel.Â At the time of writing this blog, many hotels are charging from $1-$3 per bag for the bags to be delivered to the room after the guest checks in.Â Remember, many guests may put out their â€śdo not disturbâ€ť signs on their doors upon arrival.Â This may become a problem, especially if they do not check their message light on their hotel phone, or their hotel room voice mail, which says â€śyou have a welcome bag we tried to deliver to you.â€ťÂ Make sure you have a main contact at the hotel who will be responsible for making sure all welcome bags are distributed to the guests upon checking in, since they will be privy to the number of bags remaining, and potential delivery problems like this.Â Get a list of your hotel guests at the hotels you have room blocks with, which will give you their check-in dates, so you know the earliest arrival.Â Find out deadlines for when you need to have the items for the bags purchased.Â How long will it take for the bags to be packed, assembled with finishing touches?Â When do the bags need to be delivered to the hotel, so they are ready for the arrival of your first guests checking in?

Next, Decide on What to Include in Your Welcome Bag:

1).Â What is your vessel of choice?Â Whatever Â your choice of vessel, make sure it is reusable and easy to carry so it doesnâ€™t add to the luggage of your guests.Â Select something which goes with your theme (see #1 above.)

2).Â Do you have time to DIY or are you hiring a company to do this for you?Â You may want to hire a professional company for suggestions on themes and bulk pricing.Â They purchase in bulk and have contacts for prepackaged items, (since they have more clients than just you), then assemble, pack, put finishing touches on the bags, then deliver your welcome bags to your hotels.Â They will have local contacts and connections to expedite your search.Â You may be able to purchase everything from them in bulk, and they may show you how to â€śassemble one.â€ťÂ Check your local Costco, Dollar Store, and local wholesale club, since they may have trial sized products or items in bulk to help you save on your cost per item.Â You may want to get some items on your own, and incorporate specialty items from a professional source.

3).Â Point of Contact.Â Include the name and cell phone number of your wedding planner or the point person who will handle logistics and answer questions for your entire weekend.

4).Â Wedding Weekend Itinerary.Â NOTE:Â You may need 2Â versions â€“ one for your wedding party guests (highly suggest you sending out PRIOR to their arrival such as spa day appointments, get ready schedules for hair and makeup,Â photography schedules, golf outing tee times, etc.), and another version simplified for your out-of-town guests.

Include:

Your wedding plannerâ€™s name and cell phone number to answer questions.

Timeline of the Weekend:Â start times, end times, address, directions, transportation schedules (if you are including transportation for them), parking, theme of event, dress code, if food will be served, etc. of the events for the weekend.

Note Welcoming and Thanking Your Guests (possibly include your engagement photo) or a photo of you and your fiance saying “Welcome and Thanks!”

Golf Outing Details

Shopping Outing Details

Spa Outing Details

Directions, Details & Transportation info to and from the hotel to your:

Â Â Â Â Ceremony Rehearsal

Â Â Â Â Rehearsal Dinner

Â Â Â Â Wedding Ceremony

Â Â Â Â Cocktail Reception

Â Â Â Â Dinner/Dance

Â Â Â Â After Hours Party

Â Â Â Â Day After Wedding Brunch

Fun things you may or may not know about the bride

Fun things you may or may not know about the groom

How you met

The proposal

5).Â Snacks and Munchies.Â NOTE:Â Think about where your wedding is.Â Is there something special about the city or is there something the city is known for?

Limit perishables so you arenâ€™t stressed filling bags the week of your wedding.

Cookies with initials of the Bride & Groom or wedding logo from your wedding invitation

Candy Bars

Granola Bars

Fruit (something in not highly perishable, and in season which doesnâ€™t have to be refrigerated)

Juice boxes (if they have kids)

Crayons & coloring book (if they have kids)

Something from a local specialty shop or bakery which is well known (candy, or a baked good)

Bottle of wine from a local vineyard

Bottled beers from a local brewery

Local magazine or newspaper

Custom CD with old home movies, pictures, and slideshows

6).Â Souvenir or Keepsake Photos

Keepsake which is unique to Arizona, yet is easy to travel with.

If you have sports fans, schedule a tour of the arena where their favorite sport is played.

Hire a photobooth or a photographer to take photos of your guests with their spouse, significant other, or at event as a souvenir or keepsake photo.Â Use a magnet frame (easy to carry and no glass to break) with your names and wedding date.

7).Â Travel Sized Personal Items

Sunscreen

Breath Mints

Aspirin

Gum

8).Â Hotel How Tos

How to Get Free Internet

Prices of Parking for Valet/Self Park/Special Rates for Overnight (no one likes to get an enormous parking charge on their hotel bill since they didnâ€™t ask pricing options before parking)!

Brides wear and incorporate something old, something borrowed, something blue (thanks Crissy at http://www.DePoyStudios.com for our something blue shoe photo), and something new on their wedding day for good luck.Â There is a 5th item, a sixpence in your shoe, or a penny in your shoe, which is a wish for good fortune and prosperity.Â The sixpence tends to remain largely a British custom. Â Â As a wedding planner, there is no â€śrightâ€ť answer, yet would recommend incorporating your items below to fit your personality, traditions, and â€śown it!â€ť

Something OldÂ is a symbol of your family, and your life before marriage, in particular with your mother or grandmother.Â Your old item may be an antique, an heirloom object, or a sentimental piece that represents the brideâ€™s past.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Use some of the wedding gown fabric or lace from your motherâ€™s wedding gown or your grandmotherâ€™s wedding gown and sew it inside your gown.Â (Make sure you ask before just cutting into their wedding gown!)

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wear something vintage.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wear antique combs, pins, or barrettes.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wear white, ivory, or lace gloves.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Shrink down a photo of you, your mother, and your grandmother together and put it in a bracelet or locket from your mother or grandmother.Â (Could double as your something old and something borrowed, a two-for-one!)

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Include a video montage to include some photos of you growing up.

Something NewÂ is a symbol for your new life ahead, and your new union!

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Buy new jewelry.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Buy new shoes.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A key to your new home, may be hidden in your bouquet.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Buy a lucky penny minted the year of your wedding (then save it for your daughterâ€™s something old when she gets married.)

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â If youâ€™re taking your groomâ€™s last name, youâ€™ll also be gaining a new monogram.Â Incorporate this new monogram into your wedding dress, a sash, or a ribbon for your bouquet.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Create a hashtag for your wedding #MHwedding.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Create a wedding website.

Something Borrowed is a symbol of borrowed happiness, which is normally lent to you by a happily married woman who is a close friend or family member.Â The borrowed item is returned the day after the wedding, with a handwritten thank-you note.Â A nice gesture is to have someone take a photo of you with the item as a keepsake to send to them.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Borrow a book from the library for your reading or poem for your ceremony.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â If you are the type who cries at happy moments, borrow a monogrammed handkerchief from your father or grandfather.

Something Blue is a symbol for fidelity, purity, and love. For Christian brides, it is also a symbol of the Virgin Mary.Â There are manyÂ hues of blue, so pick one you love.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wear blue shoes.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wear a blue garter.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Carry a blue purse.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wear a blue sash on your dress.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Have something blue on your bouquet.

–Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Have a blue pen for signing the marriage license.

Sixpence in Your Shoe, some say â€śA lucky penny in her shoe,â€ť is a symbol of good fortune and pr osperity.Â The sixpence is traditionally placed in the brideâ€™s left shoe, yet may be carried in her purse.

– Find a penny minted in the year of the wedding and tape it to the bottom of the sole of your shoe.Â Later you may frame it or add it to your scrapbook, or your daughter may wear it as her â€śsomething oldâ€ť in the future.

You have been waiting for Mr. Right for EVER, and your wedding day is FINALLY here.Â When you hire your professional photographer, (PLEASE do not delegate this important duty to a friend) it is helpful to give them an idea of what you are looking for in MUST HAVE wedding photos.Â Make sure you give your photographer the quantity of time they need to photograph your wedding to get you incredible memories.Â After your wedding day there are NO â€śdo overs.â€ť

For your family and friends, assign a “round-up” person who knows the bride’s side, and another one which knows the groom’s side.Â Give them your list so you don’t forget your VIPs on your wedding day.Â Don’t expect your wedding planner, or your photographer to round up your familiy and friends – we don’t have any idea who these people are, or what they look like.Â You will be happy you assigned someone this important task!Â This is perfect for an organized person who would like to help you out, and knows most of your family and friends!

Have a detailed photography timeline so everyone knows when to arrive, and where to meet to get their flowers.Â If you don’t, it is disorganized, and many spend time waiting when they didn’t have to be ready, and it is frustrating.Â Nothing is more frustrating than being ready for photos, and your photos are NOT taken at that time.Â Be respectful of the time of your photographer, family, and friends.

As the wedding planner, a photography timeline is something I work closely with your photographer to make sure we have who we need, and where we need them.Â This is customized for each wedding with names of who is needed, and where, then e-mailed to you for approval, then distribution to the wedding party and immediate family.Â As your wedding planner, your wedding party gets hair and makeup schedules customized (if your hair and makeup stylist don’t handle this).Â Your entire wedding party and immediate family get an itinerary to know when and where to be somewhere, so they are “in the know.”

GETTING READY WEDDING PHOTO IDEAS

â–ˇ Bride having hair styled and makeup applied (wear something FUN)!

â–ˇ Wedding party in personalized robes, shirts, and shoes (BEFORE getting into